Columbus FC kept league-leading Surrey United in sight at the top of the Metro Women's Soccer League standings following a 1-0 victory over Richmond in a premier division matchup last Sunday.
Kristen Vanderpauw scored the gamewinner off a corner kick on a scramble from six yards out.
The second-place Columbus side came into the premier match against the fifth place club with Westside FC and North Shore Renegades nipping at their heels in the standings.
In a spirited affair, Columbus set the pace early with a few well-worked plays, with left back Chantelle Maivs creating wide attacking opportunities that resulted in a couple of shots that just missed the mark.
New signing Marlie Rittinger from Simon Fraser University came close to scoring near halftime, just putting a shot over the bar after a solid build up in play, and was a threat throughout, recording three shots on goal.
Still scoreless midway through the second half and both teams looking to open up, Columbus forced two corner kicks in a row that eventually led to Vanderpauw's winner at the 70-minute mark.
Nicki Turner earned the shutout for Columbus, allowing the team to maintain its league-leading goals against average of seven goals in its first nine matches to improve to 6-2-1 on the season.
Columbus closes out the first half, hosting West Coast Kerrisdale on Dec. 11 in an 8 p.m. match at Burnaby Lake-West.
